Pros:

Cons:

Now that software companies have a large enough fan base of us hardcore gamers to pay off their BMWs, a new audience is needed to step things up a notch. EyeToy is a device that makes gaming fun and accessible to anyone -- regardless of whether they've ever held a controller in their hands before. That's because EyeToy is the controller.

Plugging into one of the PS2's USB ports, EyeToy is a cute little webcam-type peripheral with a black, ridged style that makes it look like the console's Mini Me. Adjust room lighting (you may have to turn on a few more lamps than you would for regular gaming) and position the camera so you appear in the middle of the screen, and you're good to go.

The included software, Play, features a slew of arcade-style games that get you accustomed to the EyeToy. To summarize them all in as short a description as possible, you hit the onscreen objects to either kill them, keep them afloat, or some other variation on the theme. That's not to say every game is the same, however. "Disco Stars" adds a rhythm-game timing element, and "Mirror Time" disorients you by reversing a section of the onscreen image.

As simple as these games sound, you'll likely break a sweat trying to wipe the screen clean in "Wishi Washi" or keep up with the Samba de Amigo-esque "Beat Freak." A paper-thin storyline is attached to most selections, usually involving head antagonist, Wonton, but the main motivation for replay is getting the high score -- which is followed by a victory pose that will be seen by anyone who attempts to top you. I estimate you'll average about an hour of play out of each of the dozen games.

Jet Li, eat your heart out.

You'll sometimes curse the peripheral for failing to register your hits, but it doesn't happen much more than in a controller-based title. You may need to readjust the camera or your sitting/standing position, though, which can be a pain.

Cheating is acknowledged in the first tutorial, and it's not hard to do. Get a baseball bat and you'll be whacking ninjas like nobody's business, since it creates collision fields based on the movement of anything the camera picks up. This is like the old Duck Hunt, get-right-up-to-the-TV tactic -- you're only cheating yourself, and you should be a little more mature than that by now even if you still live with your parents!

All games can be played via multiplayer. Up to four people can switch off in alternating fashion -- each with their own saved profile and photo icon. So, while you may not be entertained flying solo forever, EyeToy is something you'll pull out every time friends drop by, if only to laugh at them for looking silly while playing.

Play's 12 games are only the half the fun, though. The "Play Room" is a hidden gem where much more entertainment lies. The various activities here could be dismissed as simple tech demos; but watching dripping trails fall off your moving appendages, having your body melt away into tiny atoms, or brushing away falling leaves is a mesmerizing good time. These are mindless diversions, but so is shooting random passersby in Vice City, and we still spend countless hours doing it. Besides, it's called the EyeToy for a reason.

My favorite room is just a standard video display mode, but its signal has a one-second delay. This means you can pretend you're in a badly subtitled kung fu movie, or do lewd things behind your friends' backs that they won't see until the deed is done. "Play Room" has some devious possibilities for creative, naughty kids or adults -- not that we advocate any of them, of course.

Cleaning was never this much fun.

Speaking of mischief, EyeToy has an option to record a video message onto your memory card. Again, the only limits are your imagination (and the tiny 8 MB memory card). EyeToy isn't a game that holds your hand through a good time. In many ways, you have to make your own enjoyment. A few friends and a few choice beverages should aid in that endeavor rather nicely. And, if by chance you get sick of it, you can just give it to your younger sibling, who will have just as much fun as you will.